UM Extension Council election runs through Friday

The 2013 public election of University of Missouri Extension Council of Phelps County runs through Friday, Feb. 1, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Staff Reports

The 2013 public election of University of Missouri Extension Council of Phelps County runs through Friday, Feb. 1, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Citizens age 18 and older who reside in Phelps County can access ballots in three ways:

1. Online at http://extension.missouri.edu/phelps.

2. In person at five locations: Phelps County Extension Center, Phelps County Courthouse and Farm Bureau, all in Rolla, Citizens Bank of Newburg and Phelps County Bank in St. James.

3. By calling the Extension Center at 573-458-6260 to request a ballot by mail.

Three candidates, Francis "Frank" Chandler Furman, Delaine Litman-Hohenfeldt and Josh Ratliff are running for the one seat in the Rolla District, which includes Rolla Outside North and South and all Rolla city wards.

Four candidates, Sarah Farmer, Jon Hartley, Fred Mussig and James Standfast are vying for the three vacant seats in the East District, which includes Dawson, St. James East and West, and all St. James city wards, Meramec, Cold Springs as well as Dillon North, Central and South.

Extension Council members will serve a two-year term.

Biographies of the candidates are listed below:

Rolla District candidates

Francis "Frank" Chandler Furman

Furman has been a registered geologist in Rolla for more than two decades. He is active with the Friends of the Rolla Public Library, Salem Avenue Baptist Church, Audubon Society, National Society of the Sons of American Revolution.

Furman regularly attends the Rolla City Council and represents the city on the Extension Council with a 95 percent attendance record. Furman said it is primary that the Extension Council follows its by-laws, University of Missouri regulations, and Missouri and federal laws. "As my work is incomplete, I am running to represent the Rolla Township on the Extension Council."

Delaine Litman-Hohenfeldt

Litman-Hohenfeldt is a native Texan who attended Austin Community College where she was president of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and graduated with honors. She then attended Tarleton State University where she completed bachelor's and master's degrees in horticulture/agriculture and graduated magna cum laude.

She was a member of Alpha Zeta Agriculture Honor Society, Presidential Honors Society and Delta Zeta sorority. After graduation she moved to Rolla and worked as regional horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension. She married R.D. Hohenfeldt in 2004. She is currently a freelance horticultural writer and a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Josh Ratliff

Ratliff is a Rolla native and a Rolla High School graduate of the class of 1994. He has been an electrician for 18 years and lived, worked and attended tech school in Kansas City from 1995 to 2002. He returned to Rolla in July of 2002 and started Freedom Electric and has been the owner/operator of that company from 2002 to the present.

East District candidates

Sarah Farmer

Farmer has lived in Phelps County for 23 years. She graduated from the School of the Ozarks in Point Lookout with a B.S. in biology. She has been a Master Gardener since 2006 and said she really enjoys educating the public about gardening in Missouri.

Some of her past experiences include a Girl Scout leader, team mother, president of the Master Gardeners and secretary of the Rolla Area Computer Users Group (RACUG), as well as working at Rollanet's Pine Online lab for several years.

Farmer has long been familiar with the MU Extension since her mother would make use of their publications for preserving and canning food grown on the farm in the '70s. She and her husband enjoy employing organic methods in their vegetable and fruit gardens.

Furman said it would be an honor to serve on the local Extension Council and thinks she would be a benefit to the people of Phelps County in assisting the Extension in identifying the educational needs of her community.

Jon Hartley

Hartley graduated from Rolla High School and obtained a degree in HVACR from Rolla Technical Institute. While in school, he worked for a local commercial mechanical company. He then went on to manage a local refrigeration and heating company for 10 years, before deciding to open his own business. In 2010, he opened Hartley's Climate Control with his wife, Errica. The couple has two daughters, Ally, 5, and Millicent, 2. Hartley enjoys giving back to the local area communities through donations, sponsorships and volunteerism.

Fred Mussig

Mussig is a retired engineer who has been involved with the Master Gardener program in Phelps County for the last six years and is serving his second term as treasurer. In the past three years his volunteer time was primarily working with the St. James Kiwanis Club to establish and maintain a community garden for the St. James Caring Center (the local food bank and thrift store).

In 2013 the community garden will be expanded to include Caring Center client maintained garden plots and inclusion of a nutrition project through the University of Missouri. He said his roll will be twofold: hands on garden development and operation and to serve as a member of the Wellness Committee to lend guidance to the upgrades.

Mussig is also a member of the Gardeners of the Forest City (the garden club for St. James) where he also serves as treasurer. He has worked with other members to maintain the public flower beds and planters in the downtown retail area. His personal goal in joining these organizations is to provide hands on improvement and leadership for his community.

James Standfast

Standfast is currently employed by Express Employment Professionals in Rolla as sales manager. His military service includes the U.S. Navy form 1972-1976, radioman 2nd Class. He graduated from University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri University of Science and Technology) in 1981, with a B.S. in economics. He has one daughter who is a junior at S&T.

Standfast first moved to Phelps County in 1978. After graduation and several jobs later, he returned for good in 1997. Community activities include: member of Ridgeview Christian Church, Rolla youth traveling team basketball coach, Rolla youth traveling team soccer coach, St. Louis youth soccer coach, Russell House board, Recreation for Everyone Committee to build Rolla's Recreation Center, March of Dimes chair, United Way board member, past president of Rolla Breakfast Kiwanis Club, former international chair and current membership chair of the Pulaski County Rotary Club, Fort Leonard Wood knowledgeable, attends Cuba Chamber of Commerce and Salem Chamber of Commerce meetings, Owensville Chamber of Commerce fundraising committee, Rolla PR Club meetings, currently serve as Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador as secretary, current S&T Athletic Booster Club board member and involved in fundraising, and attends many regional community functions.

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